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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — a series
  7. current — electric
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — magic
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — a safe
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. current — happening now
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spell — letters
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. net — after costs
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com